lowered streetglide

[egstandard]

My girlfriend has a hard time getting her bike through sharp turns like switchbacks and staying between the lines. So I jumped on her bike, and I also feel it takes more effort than my 04 flht. I put hers on the lift, and I see it has the lowering blocks on it. It's already got 1 inch shorter shocks from the factory than my bike. Also, her 2012 streetglide has a lot wider tire. Do those lowering blocks make it harder to lean it over in sharp corners?

[Ohio HD]

Lowering the rear effectively increases the rake of the front fork. More stable in a straight line, more difficulty in corners or lower speeds can occur.

[04 SE Deuce]

Quick answer: You bet it does!

It's way more about center of gravity than it is about front end geometry change.  A good example is getting a lighter steering Harley by raising the front end ride height which takes the front end geometry the opposite direction of the results you get.

In the past I've referenced and posted here several times about Tony Foale and the book he wrote, Motorcycle Handling and Chassis Design: the art and science.  This book is or has been used by many motorcycle manufacturers. 

One of the physical traits of motorcycles is that a higher center of gravity on the same bike takes less effort to initiate and maintain the same corner radius at the same given speed. Also the higher C of G/ride height on the same bike requires less lean angle to make the same corner at the same given speed.

IMO and IME Harley cruisers respond to changes in C of G/ride height more than changes in front end geometry.

Also a lighter shorter rider (which most females are) will have to use more energy to initiate and maintain the same corner at same speed along with more lean angle.

So it feels even worse to her than you.

IMO a lowered SG is dangerous.  I would look into tall sole shoes and a thin but comfortable seat (maybe gel) rather than use lowering blocks on a bike that already comes with short shocks.  I watched a female rider on a street glide run wide over the center line when the pace/turn speed was a little more than she should have been running.  Two rubber contact patches is all you want not the muffler and other hard parts.

[egstandard]

She had this bike before I met her. So I didn't know it was lowered until I inspected it. I would never lower a bike. So that is great information. They will be removed, she is tall and doesn't need them in anyway. Thanks for the responses guys.

[Deye76]

And a later model with the Rushmore stuff is another 87 lbs.

[PoorUB]

If she is tall and long legs you might even try a pair of standard length shocks, but be warned as you raise the rear the steering will get easier and handling problems could show up.

[egstandard]

That's an idea. But are the front forks lowered from the factory also? Or just the factory rear shocks on these streetglides?

[04 SE Deuce]

Front forks are the same as other non lowered models...just the rear has shorter shocks.

[egstandard]

Good. I have a set of extra shocks off of my bike and might just see how they work for her. Appreciate all the info guys.

[PoorUB]

Front forks are the same as other non lowered models...just the rear has shorter shocks.

That is what I thought, but wasn't certain. If you go from the factory lowered, with lowering blocks, all the way to the 13" shocks I bet she will be surprised! Make sure she knows it will handle differently the first time she takes it out. I can see her hit a corner, put too much effort into it as she is used to and wipe out!

[kd]

Looking far enough ahead helps.  I suspect she may have started to watch directly in front anticipating losing her lane position.  You tend to end up where you are looking.

[tomcat64]

Those lowering blocks are dangerous, there is a lot of stress on the swingarm just in front of the axel, and when the swingarm breaks, it's pretty ugly!

[Don D]

A very light counterpressure on the inside (of the corner) grip helps. Not a fan of lowering baggers for many reasons including the C of G and rake already discussed.

[Ratfade]

In answer to the part of your question about the wider tire making handling in low speed/ curvy situations more difficult, I absolutely believe it does. When frame/tire changes were made in '09 (I think), a lot of people raved about improved stability in a straight line. I always wondered if the trade off was worth it.

[Hossamania]

In a way, the wide tire is worth it in longer tire wear, and it looks cool! But I agree, it does slightly affect handling through corners. A little more assertiveness at the bars takes care of that. And once they start to square off, any tire is a handful thru corners.
Removing those blocks is a very good idea, and replacing the stock short shocks also, especially if she does not need them. Stock take offs can be found cheap, aftermarket quality units an even better choice. It will help ride quality as well, giving slightly more suspension travel.
As far as seats (not asked but hey, I'm a giver!) I like the Sundowner from HD.

[egstandard]

More great info. She's not a rookie, and knows about the handlebar pressure and does a good job with it. I think coming off of a Heritage to this bagger is part of it also. I'm going to start with the lowering blocks and see how that goes. Like I said, I have some 13 inch stock air shocks off my 04 we can experiment with also.

[Hossamania]

Those front ends with the fairing steer heavy at first, I have an old RoadKing and was surprised at how much more effort was required on the Ultra.

[lonewolf]

Those front ends with the fairing steer heavy at first, I have an old RoadKing and was surprised at how much more effort was required on the Ultra.

That's why we have road glides 

[kd]

    

[Hossamania]

I'll put up with the extra effort needed....

[FLSTFIDave]

More great info. She's not a rookie, and knows about the handlebar pressure and does a good job with it. I think coming off of a Heritage to this bagger is part of it also. I'm going to start with the lowering blocks and see how that goes. Like I said, I have some 13 inch stock air shocks off my 04 we can experiment with also.

When my wife came off her Heritage and went to her first Street Glide, she could corner much faster on the Street Glide than the Heritage due to the much better lean angle of the Street Glide.  Her Street Glide was stock, 12 inch rear shocks.

All the Street glides, and the other touring bikes with 12" shocks handling can be improved by putting 13" shocks on them.  Thats what the frame / rake / trail were designed for 

My 13 CVO king handles much better with the 13" shocks than it did with the 12" shocks and rides smoother too.

[Ratfade]

More great info. She's not a rookie, and knows about the handlebar pressure and does a good job with it. I think coming off of a Heritage to this bagger is part of it also. I'm going to start with the lowering blocks and see how that goes. Like I said, I have some 13 inch stock air shocks off my 04 we can experiment with also.

When my wife came off her Heritage and went to her first Street Glide, she could corner much faster on the Street Glide than the Heritage due to the much better lean angle of the Street Glide.  Her Street Glide was stock, 12 inch rear shocks.

All the Street glides, and the other touring bikes with 12" shocks handling can be improved by putting 13" shocks on them.  Thats what the frame / rake / trail were designed for 

My 13 CVO king handles much better with the 13" shocks than it did with the 12" shocks and rides smoother too.

Any drawbacks to this idea? How much does it raise the seat? Any problems with moving weight forward?

[tdrglide]

Only drawback I see is if you are under about 5'-7 you might have occasionall issues backing up hill. Getting feet firmly on the ground

[egstandard]

Well I took the lowering blocks off. The bike went up exactly 1 inch in the rear. Weather wouldn't  allow us to ride. I wanted to go ahead and just put the 13 inch shocks I have on it. But she doesn't want to change to much all at once. So we are hoping for a ride this week.

[kd]

Probably the best approach.  Smart gal.